<p>I just wondered if anybody on here participates in orchestra or any other instrument ensemble at Penn State? How hard is it for a non-music major to be involved? Thanks.</p>
<p>I don't know about orchestra or any ensembles, but I do know that State College is a thriving music scene. Rolling Stone ranked it as the #1 town in the country to see great bands play when they're on tour and produce great local bands as well.</p>
<p>dude, i think he's referring to more refined music (violin, clarinet, french horn, etc).</p>
<p>Well, actually, son plays cello...</p>
<p>Thanks for your thoughts.</p>
<p>(I like your name "foodisgood.")</p>
<p>No shlt. Thats why I said that I wasn't aware of any orchestral ensembles. He, or his son, is obviously interested in music. So I decided to offer information about the music scene at State College.</p>
<p>I don't know about cello, but my son had to pass on his acceptance to Schreyer (engineering) because of the lack of opportunity on clarinet. That teacher would not accept any minors, in spite of what was offered in the catalog. There would be no opportunity for him there, even though he was told he had one of the top auditions of the freshman class. It is best to check with the cello teacher to see if Penn State meets your needs.</p>
<p>The Blue Band is popular, but more in a social way. I also get the impression that music at Penn State is geared toward music education rather than performance.</p>
<p>Overall, we all loved Penn State and thought Schreyer would be awesome. We just couldn't ask Son to give up his music.</p>
<p>I don't know anything about the bands and orchestras, but my D has been involved in various vocal ensembles and she is not a music major. I don't know if you've looked into info on the website, but here is a link that may help you: <a href="http://www.music.psu.edu/Ensembles/%5B/url%5D">http://www.music.psu.edu/Ensembles/</a> Good luck!</p>
<p>My freshman materials engineer daughter picked Penn State in part because of the non-music major opportunities and the thriving music scene. She played clarinet up to regional level in high school & also played saxophone. Penn State music opportunities are competitive but there are several good one's designed for non-music majors. She tried out for Blue Band on clarinet but didn't make it (she was ok on the music, bad on the marching). She then tried out on clarinet for the Sinfonietta, a small orchestra, specifically designed for non-music majors and made it. She also singed up for the Concert Band (less competitive) and made that. Spring semester she tried out for the Symphonic Band but didn't make it. She did sign up and has been playing her saxophone for the Basketball pep band. That has been a lot of fun. She also made the Sinfonietta again. So definitely you don't have to be at a music major. She has made a bunch of friends as a result of those opportunities (even the one's she didn't make).</p>
<p>Thanks for your stories everyone. This is a concern for these really big schools - and it's a concern that I hadn't really thought of until now! Son informs me that he really wants to continue cello and orchestra in college - which considering he's got 10 years invested now makes sense I guess.</p>
<p>I did track down a strings prof at Penn State that used to conduct an orchestra son played in for 2 years, before the orchestra he is in now. I emailed him and he asked me to call him. So hopefully I'll get some scoop from him.</p>
<p>Sometimes cellos can be a little scarce, but in a school with 40,000+ students maybe not!!!</p>
<p>check out <a href="http://www.valleyjazz.org%5B/url%5D">www.valleyjazz.org</a></p>
<p>Weenie, I don't know about the opportunities for non-majors, but they do have an incredible professor of cello named Kim Cook--
<a href="http://www.music.psu.edu/Faculty%20Pages/cook.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.music.psu.edu/Faculty%20Pages/cook.html</a>
and a cello choir--
<a href="http://www.music.psu.edu/cello/Penn%20State%20Cello%20Choir.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.music.psu.edu/cello/Penn%20State%20Cello%20Choir.html</a></p>
<p>Here's what I found out from my prof friend there:</p>
<p>All three orchestras (philharmonic, chamber, and baroque) are open to audition for any student. Obviously, they are pretty hard to get into. The cello ensemble would only be open to students of Kim Cook (who would be music majors). That's unfortunate, because it looks great! If he took lessons it would only be with a grad student. (Which is pretty common at schools with music programs.)</p>
<p>Here was something that I see could be a big problem - Non-major students have no instrument storage available. The reality of storing a cello in a dorm room and hauling it to practice rooms potentially across campus could be rough.</p>
<p>Another thing he mentioned is that scheduling between different colleges (in this case, engineering and arts/sciences) is often difficult.</p>
<p>So that's the scoop. I post it in case it can be helpful to someone else too.</p>
<p>Weenie, my non-music major daughter does have instrument storage in the music building for her tenor sax and clarinet. She has also had little trouble scheduling around her engineering courses. Based on her AP credits she does get to pick a little earlier than most freshmen though. The auditions are very competitive though.</p>
<p>Thanks karamo. If we have time Sat we'll try to wander over to the music building (do you know which one it is?) and look around. Often, storage for cellos is tough (becuase they are so big). I just really can't see it hanging around a dorm room. Not only does that make practicing awkward, but it is really much too expensive to not be locked up. I also wonder if your daughter has more opportunities because she can play in bands? Often colleges have more bands than orchestras?</p>
<p>Thanks again.</p>
<p>Weenie, I think the storage was in Music 1. Practice rooms were in Music 2 in the basement. There are sign up sheets for the rooms,mostly dominated by hard working music majors, but you could sign up here and there.</p>
<p>One of the Schreyer dorms has a practice room or two.</p>